Tickets for session on Mon 23 March 7-8pm (GMT) are £5.

Click HERE for tickets

thi wurd hour is proving to be a popular new addition to our activities. The next one will be a little bit special as it comes from Iowa City, the place that was an integral part of thi wurd’s formation. Once again it will be a session dedicated to fast-drafting and creating a first draft, or more accurately a draft zero. You’ll be in the company of committed writers from many different places. Let’s motivate each other.

As this is a slightly different event, I’m going to extend the hour by ten minutes, so that I can begin by discussing some key elements of fiction writing that personally inspired me in my years in Iowa. So for one week only thi wurd hour becomes thi wurd 70 mins. We’ll write solidly for at least 30 mins – it’s amazing what we can achieve in that time. We’ll also hear sections of the drafts being read out.

thi wurd is built on deep literary sensibilities. It’s always about quality. This year we celebrate 20 years, and personally it’s my 25th year of teaching creative writing classes. I’m very excited for this one.

So please join me for thi wurd hour, direct from Iowa City. It’s only £5 and open to writers anywhere in the world.

(A little snap I took of Iowa City as a storm approached last night, 10 March 2026)